Alexandra Eala Makes History at Miami Open with Rafael Nadal’s Support

MIAMI, Florida — Alexandra Eala, a 19-year-old tennis player from the Philippines, has etched her name in history at the Miami Open, achieving significant victories that highlight her talent and the rising profile of Filipino tennis. Competing at Hard Rock Stadium, Eala advanced through the tournament following a stunning upset over No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko.

Entering the event as a wild card, Eala first secured a win against American Katie Volynets in the opening round, setting the stage for her remarkable achievement against Ostapenko, which concluded with a score of 7-6(2), 7-5. Eala’s victory marks her as the first Filipino woman to defeat a Top 30 player since the establishment of the PIF WTA Rankings in 1975.

Currently ranked World No. 140, Eala stands as the only player, male or female, from the Philippines to hold an international professional tennis ranking. Her accomplishments have garnered attention both locally and globally, especially from her idol, Rafael Nadal.

After Eala’s win over Ostapenko, Nadal took to social media to express his congratulations: ‘Congratulations Alex! What a great win for you and for 🇵🇭!’ His support highlights the strong connection between Eala and her mentor, who retired from professional tennis last year.

Eala has previously credited her move to Mallorca and her training under Nadal as transformative to her career. In 2020, she made waves when she won the junior US Open, significantly increasing her popularity in the Philippines, a country with a population of nearly 115 million. Now, she boasts over 126,000 followers on Instagram and has been featured on the covers of various magazines, including Tater and regional editions of Vogue.

Despite her burgeoning fame, Eala remains grounded, attributing her focus on improvement to the lessons learned from Nadal. ‘He is so grounded and he has achieved more than anything I could dream of,’ Eala reflected. ‘The fact that he is still so nice to everyone around here is very admirable of him.’

Eala is set to face Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the third round of the Miami Open on Sunday, where she hopes to continue her historic run.